Computer interface employing a manipulated object with absolute pose detection component and a display

1. A method for use with a system having a manipulated object, the method comprising: a) accepting light data indicative of light detected by a photodetector mounted on-board said manipulated object from a first plurality of predetermined light sources having known locations in world coordinates; b) accepting relative motion data from a relative motion sensor mounted on-board said manipulated object indicative of a change in an orientation of said manipulated object; and c), determining the pose of said manipulated object based on said light data and said relative motion data, wherein said pose is determined with respect to said world coordinates.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first plurality of light sources is arranged in a predetermined pattern.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said predetermined pattern comprises at least one member of the group consisting of linear patterns, non-linear patterns and asymmetric patterns.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said first plurality of predetermined light sources comprises IR LEDs.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said system is coupled to a display that shows an image substantially defined by a first and second orthogonal axes.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said pose is defined by Euler angles (φ, θ, ψ) in rotated object coordinates or their mathematical equivalents.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein said manipulated object is configured to generate signals for rendering said display.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said rendering comprises rearranging of a visual element.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least a subset of said pose is used for rotating at least a portion of said image.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least a subset of said pose is used for rotating a visual element of said image.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said manipulated object is selected from the group consisting of wands, remote controls, three-dimensional mice, game controls, gaming objects, jotting implements, surgical implements, three-dimensional digitizers, digitizing styli, hand-held tools and utensils.

12. A system comprising a manipulated object, said system comprising: a) a first plurality of predetermined light sources disposed at known positions in world coordinates; b) a photodetector mounted on-board said manipulated object for generating light data indicative of light detected from said first plurality of light sources; c) a relative motion sensor mounted on-board said manipulated object for generating relative motion data indicative of a change in an orientation of said manipulated object; and d) a processor for determining the pose of said manipulated object based on said light data and said relative motion data, wherein said pose is determined with respect to said world coordinates.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said known positions are fixed positions.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein said fixed positions define a predetermined pattern.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein said predetermined pattern comprises at least one member of the group consisting of linear patterns, non-linear patterns and asymmetric patterns.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein said first plurality of predetermined light sources comprises IR LEDs.

17. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a display for showing an image substantially defined by a first and second orthogonal axes.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein said pose is defined by Euler angles (φ, θ, ψ) in rotated object coordinates or their mathematical equivalents.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein said processor is further configured to generate signals for rendering said display in response to at least a subset of said pose.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein said image further comprises a visual element and said signals for rendering comprise signals for rotating said visual element.

21. The system of claim 12 , wherein said manipulated object is selected from the group consisting of wands, remote controls, three-dimensional mice, game controls, gaming objects, jotting implements, surgical implements, three-dimensional digitizers, digitizing styli, hand-held tools and utensils.